Freedom of Speech and Beliefs?

            One of the biggest “freedoms” in this country has been speech. We all talk about how we’re free to think, believe, and say what we want. Until someone says something with which we don’t agree. Then suddenly that other person is an idiot or worse.

            I’ve seen it time and time again.

            What happened a few years ago with the Dixie Chicks is a prime example. Natalie Maines, the lead singer expressed an opinion about George W. Bush and suddenly the whole country was exploding with hatred for her. Someone even went so far as to threaten to kill her and some woman taught her child to hate Natalie for what she said. About this time I started looking for an address to write to them and express support for Natalie’s right to speak her mind. Someone recommended a magazine that might have the information I wanted.

            What I found instead, was a letter from a veteran. In it he wrote that he’d fought for freedom of speech, but he was ashamed of what Natalie had said. I remember thinking how hypocritical it seemed that the letter writer would fight for freedom of speech and then be ashamed of how someone used it. He had the right to disagree with her, but to be ashamed of someone used that right? Then why fight for freedom at all?

            I do see two good things that came out of Natalie’s statement:

1)     Bush defended her right to criticize him

2)     She wrote a great song, which for me at least, expresses something I’ve often felt myself, titled, “I’m Not Ready to Make Nice.”

Now there’s the issue of gay marriage. It seems that if you’re against it, you’re the enemy or at the very least you’re an uneducated idiot. Kirk Cameron made a statement against it based on Biblical principles and Alan Thicke basically said he needed to read some books and educate himself on the subject.

Vendors who normally provide services for weddings are being sued if they refuse services for a gay couple based on their beliefs. This seems silly to me given that there are several other vendors that would be more than happy provide services for a gay wedding.

What I see is that in a country that values freedom of speech, thought, and belief, one part of society is forcing another segment to work against beliefs we supposedly have the right to hold. Gays want to be respected for being gay and to be allowed to marry (I recently read that they got that right). I understand that. So why not extend that same respect to those whose beliefs differ from yours? In essence when gays sue vendors for politely refusing to be part of something they don’t believe is right, gays have become a bully. You know the type: “give me what I want or I will hurt you.” How is that respecting someone’s right? If you’re that unhappy with the fact you aren’t getting what you want, tell your friends. Put up a review online. You get to express your dissatisfaction and others will know that the business does not wish to be part of gay weddings. This saves you legal costs too!

There was a time in this country when people went to lectures given by people with whom they did not agree. Why? They knew that by listening to people with differing opinions they might learn something. I know that some of the best conversations I’ve ever had were with people who held different opinions. I often learned more from those conversations than I did with people who thought and believed as I do. I hope they learned from me as well.

Bottom line here is that we don’t have to agree with everyone. That’s impossible. We just need to respect everyone’s right to think and believe as they choose.

That was part of what our founding fathers wanted for this country. Freedom. The freedom to think, believe, and speak as we choose. Freedom is ultimately what drove our founding fathers and others to come to this country. It’s up to us to defend that freedom even when we don't agree with others.

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

Voltaire, (Attributed); originated in "The Friends of Voltaire", 1906, by S. G. Tallentyre (Evelyn Beatrice Hall)

P.S. If by some miracle the Dixie Chicks should learn of this blog entry and it causes any problems or if they’re just plain sick of people talking about it, I apologize. What happened to them was simply one of the best and most recent examples that I personally am aware of regarding freedom of speech.